Commander Wael Abdul Halim and his 17-year-old daughter died in an air raid on an apartment in Baalbek
Israel killed the commander of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Wael Abdul Halim, in an air strike against an apartment on the outskirts of Baalbek, in eastern Lebanon, in the early hours of this Monday (May 18, 2026), according to the (Lebanon National News Agency). His 17-year-old daughter Rama also died.
Rescue teams and ambulances went to the scene to remove rubble and look for possible survivors. Baalbek is in the Bekaa Valley, a region close to the border with Syria.
The attack is yet another violation of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. A by the President of the United States, (Republican Party), on April 16. The agreement followed meetings between Israeli and Lebanese delegations in Washington on May 14 and 15.
The US State Department reported on Friday (May 15, 2026) that the extension of the truce sought “allow additional advances”. Spokesman Tommy Piggott classified the conversations as “highly productive”. Delegations from the 2 countries are expected to meet again on June 2nd and 3rd.
The round in Washington was the 3rd direct negotiation between Israel and Lebanon this year. Few details were released about the points discussed. The agreement remains fragile due to the continuation of attacks on Lebanese territory.
Since March 2, Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed nearly 3,000 people, injured more than 9,000 and displaced more than 1.6 million, according to Lebanese officials. The number of displaced people corresponds to around 1/5 of the country’s population.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad is an armed group allied with Hamas. Israel has carried out attacks against members of Palestinian organizations and Hezbollah in Lebanon since the escalation of the war in the Middle East.
